Five Earths - Timeline (2014 May)
This is the timeline of the Five Earths, All in a Row setting, May 2014. (1942 on Earth-2, 1880 on Earth-3, 1557 on Earth-4, and 516 CE/1269 AUC on Earth-5) <-2014 April; 2014 June-> May 2 A Japanese Gundam team is to be deployed to the Hoth Front when transportation becomes available (this use of ridiculously impractical vehicles is intended to encourage the Axis powers to waste money on more ridiculously impractical Wunderwaffen, rather than more useful tanks and ships; it also gets the otaku who built them to shut up about deploying their silly toys). Some in the militaries of other countries on Earth-1 are surprised that they found enough actual soldiers willing to pilot the silly things, though to be fair, only six are marked for deployment. In Dsp-London, MI6 receives a report that a wormhole may exist connecting an unknown military base in Nazi Germany with a military base on Venus(2). May 4 In Dsp-Ruritania, Hans Ruddendorf, leader of the Nationalsozialistische Arbeiterpartei Ruritanischen (National Socialist Ruritanian Workers Party) is assassinated by a sniper. The party blames the Marxistische Partei der Arbeiter und Bauern Ruritanischen (Marxist Party of Ruritanian Workers and Peasants), and initiates a purge. In Dsp-Germany, the 'Übermensch, Typ Eins' cloned soldiers see combat in North Africa. Though they are large, strong, and intimidating, their poor health, low intelligence, lack of creativity, and numerous mental problems do not serve them well on twentieth century battlefields. May 5 The X-58, designated White Mobile Space Force Base (MSFB), is completed over Luna-1 (see March 4, 2014). The deceptively delicate-looking vessel serves as both a bomber tender and a mobile base (the word 'carrier' is specifically absent from documentation) for short-range fighters and other small-craft. She is defended by interceptor and area-defense missiles, repellor screens, laser screens, multiple force shield layers of various types, a plasma field close to the hull, and structural integrity fields. May 7 In Dsp-UK, the Blackhawk Squadron takes delivery of twelve P-87 Blackhawks, some of which will be used as reserve planes. In Inp-New Jersey, the Atlantic City Joker escapes from the asylum where he has been confined since Feb. 26, 2014. Later that night, this Joker is killed by Kevin Walters (see Sept. 23, 2013). The second Battle of Midway(2) occurs - the US Navy retakes the atoll, assisted by Royal Navy and Commonwealth forces. IJN forces were not involved, due to concerns over bad luck. May 9 'Occlumency: Defending the Mind' (see June 7, 2013) published. Other topics include meditation and autohypnosis, sensing mental intrusions, building up one's mental strength, and developing a true mind shield, as well as methods for enchanting an item (usually headgear made of or with metal) for that purpose. One important recommendation the book offers is to find a friendly telepath to help develop these skills. Apart from the main authors, JK Rowling and Michael Gambon, contributing writers include Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and Patricia Tallman, among others. May 10 The telepathic people of Titan(2) hold a general election, leading to the more isolationist party losing power, to be replaced by a party that is less isolationist. In Dsp-London, Parliament passes a resolution guaranteeing the independence of the Princely States in the 'unlikely' event that India ceases to be part of the Empire. In the Dsp-North Pacific, the Battle of the Severgin Strait takes place: an IJN fleet attacks Axis forces retreating from the Battle of Midway. The battle is a decisive Japanese victory. In Inp-New Zealand, UNIT-NZ and the RNZAF acquire several PEW-PEW guns (see March 3, 2014) for testing purposes. The Allied Constellation (see April 24, 2014) breaches the Earth-1 universe. Kenji and Sadako encounter a Teke Teke, but are able to resolve the situation without too much loss of life. The Moai 1 probe is launched from Cape Canaveral(1) on a course for Makemake(1). May 12 Forster Reforms of the Stp-British Army begin, inspired by the ideas of Secretary of State for War William Edward Forster's adopted son's counterparts on the Future Earths. The British Army is to be split between a long-service Imperial Army (mostly serving overseas), a short-service Territorial Army (mostly staying in the UK), and the Volunteer Reserves (also in the UK, unless called up). Both Imperial and Territorial personnel are expected to spend time in the Reserves after leaving active service. The reforms also begin phasing out the sale of officers' commissions. May 14 The Allied Constellation begins landings on Earth-1, having been slowed down by the Kessler shell. At a diplomatic dinner in Aluros, Dsp-Luna, the Selenean representatives are surprised to learn that the Ssoranthhu have never heard of the Mysterons, and believe that there are only three sophont races on Mars (though the Seleneans only knew about Mysterons from the records they extracted from the ancient listening post). The Ssoranthhu cultural attaché notes that descriptions of the Mysterons resemble tales of the ancient Martian creator-gods, common to Ssoranthhuul, Changing Martian, and Sarmak mythology. May 17 In Dsp-England, Lord James Montgomery Falsworth, 1st Earl Falsworth (the WWI hero known as Union Jack, back when his father was 3rd Baron Falsworth; his identity was secret during that war, but not for very long after) and his children are attacked by his vampiric brother, Baron Blood (these things happen, you know, even in the best of families). His son Brian becomes Union Jack II, and his daughter Jackie (after receiving a blood transfusion from Captain Kerosene) becomes the heroine Spitfire. May 19 On Earth-2, the Dsp-British Army begins experimenting with an Armoured Personnel Carrier (designated an 'infantry section tank,' for the number of men it can carry) based on technology from the T-54/55, and other Earth-1 sources. Several variants are planned, much like Inp-UK's Warrior TAV family or Inp-USA's Stryker IAV family. In Dsp-New York Harbor, SS Normandie (see Feb. 6, 2014) is refloated, and brought to dry-dock. May 20 The Dsp-US government agrees to recognize the Free French as the legitimate successor state to the French Third Republic (cutting out Vichy France), on the condition that Charles De Gaulle is neither Head of State nor Head of Government, though his position as professional head of the Free French Forces is not in dispute, nor is his resignation from that position requested (they don't want to deal with him, and want someone above him who can give him orders). Unofficially, the French National Committee are informed that the USA(2) recognizing a government lead by De Gaulle when they have any other vaguely plausible option is not in the cards (several Dsp-French royals and politicians living in the Dsp-USA are suggested, though they are not the only options outside of Dsp-Metropolitan France). May 23 In Dsp-Washington, D.C., aviatrix Connie Kurridge joins the Uniformed Division of the USDEO (see March 29, 2014). On Earth-1, AvLeak's website announces an article in the next issue on the under-construction Planetary Siege Fortresses, currently designated Deep Space 1 and Deep Space 2. An excerpt from the article includes a common nickname for the two asteroids-cum-vehicles, among the project personnel: 'Death Stars.' http://www.hishgraphics.com/blog/ima...th-station.jpg PSF 'Deep Space 1' under construction (artist's conception). May 25 In Dsp-Japan, Nishizumi Kaho is given command of the all-female 23rd (Experimental) Armoured Regiment, a unit which makes use of modified German tank designs, manufactured from plans obtained when Japan was still with the Axis. Over Luna(1), construction is completed on the X-59, designated Chaffe Mobile Space Force Base. This MSFB is designed to carry landing shuttles (aka dropships), as well as provide for large numbers of troops and amounts of equipment on a long journey (functionally a space assault carrier, though the documentation does not describe it that way). Defensive systems are comparable to those of the X-58 design. May 27 Mongo receives radio transmissions from the arrival of the other Earths, in December of 1940/2012 (525 light days between Earth-2's position at the time of transmission, and Mongo's position at time of reception). The Emperor orders the Wormhole Machine repaired. Dsp-British spies tracking economic reports discover that German chocolate is 'disappearing,' in that significant quantities of it are being produced in German territory, or purchased from neutral or other Axis countries, and are apparently being sold on to recently-created holding companies with no known assets, and just sitting there. Rumours indicate that the chocolate is being sent to Venus, in exchange for technology and technical assistance. May 29 Dsp-USN aircraft carrier USS Essex, lead ship of the Essex-class, commissioned. Dsp-US Army officially adopts the IMI UZI submachine gun in .45 ACP, licensed to local manufacturers (as well as two Dsp-US factories leased to IMI). In Inp-Camden, NJ, a new Joker appears, wearing the costume and apparently the personality of the DCAU Joker (his voice resembles a fourtyish Mark Hamill, though his face does not). Category:Timelines Category:Fanwork